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Aug 20, 2007
Drapers in Long Haul to Beat Flood Waste
20 August 07
As thousands of people across the region continue the clean-up on their flood-hit homes and businesses, Hull metal recycling firm Albert Draper and Sons Ltd, have revealed the scale of one company’s fight to deal with the waste generated in the city’s most catastrophic downpour.
Under normal circumstances, the company is best known for its role in the de-pollution of potentially hazardous dumped cars and recycling metals, but with an urgent need to deal with an estimated 3,000 tons of extra waste caused by the floods, they have had a huge part to play. Peter Draper, Company Director, takes up the story
“Shortly after the floods we began to get more and more calls from householders and companies who’d had damaged goods, and the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since then. We’re talking about householders, large companies and everyone in between. There’s been everything from washing machines and driers to huge amounts of steel items and vehicles.”
He continues:
“Of course, this has led to an unprecedented call for skips. We’ve got 400 out and are anticipating that will continue for many weeks.
Only last week Professor Lynne Frostick, director of the Hull Environment Research Institute, stated that the extra waste generated was equivalent to four month’s worth being discarded in one day. This constituted a “special problem”, which needed to be “dealt with as soon as possible”. Inevitably, this has had a huge impact on landfill sites and Drapers are trying to play their part. Peter continues:
“Obviously, we’re trying to recycle as much of the flood-damaged waste as possible to keep the amount going to landfill as low as we can. It’s an unprecedented situation, but we know we’re in it for the long haul.”
Drapers is a family owned firm in its 85th year which has recently invested over half a million pounds into new equipment and site infrastructure at their two-acre site in Raven St, Hull as part of a long term strategy to create a recycling centre of excellence. Currently under the fourth generation of owner managers, the company has a UK wide reputation to recycle waste of any size from almost any industry. In the past this included steam trains, aeroplanes, trawlers and even an old Cold War submarine. Much of the material is exported to many different countries across Europe, and as far afield as China.
Ends.
Picture caption: The Drapers team at the recycling facility.
For further information:
Craig Lazenby
Press Office for Albert Draper & Son Ltd.
Tel: 01482 308819
Email:
